US3041447A - Electric lamp - Google Patents

Description

J. L. ORANGER ELECTRIC LAMP Filed June 15, 1960 June' 26, 1962 2 W 4/, m a

3 2 a V l E I Z 2 2 III I llHlm IN VEN TOR.

' ates This invention relates to an electric lamp of the general kind which is adapted to be regulated to permit adjustment of the illumination level of the lamp between a relatively bright level of illumination and a relatively dim level of illumination. More particularly, this invention relates to an electric lamp of this general kind which is suitable for use as a night light or decorative table lamp rather than for general illumination purposes.

Heretofore it has been proposed to incorporate a potentiometer in the electrical circuit for a lamp of this general kind to permit adjustment of the level of illumination. However, the necessary variable resistor or potentiometer required in an arrangement of this sort adds to the complexity of the lamp and also represents a significant expense in the manufacture of the lamp.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to vary the illumination level of an electric lamp of the general kind described by an arrangement which does not require alteration of the electrical circuit for the lamp and without the necessity of having resort to a variable resistance or potentiometer.

Another object of the present invention is to vary the direction of the light radiated from the lamp in conjunction with variation in the amount of light radiated therefrom.

A lamp constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a base having a socket mounted therein. A light bulb is mounted within the socket and includes a portion which projects upwardly above the base. An open-ended cylindrical sleeve of opaque material is disposed concentric to the socket and is movable in a vertical direction between an upper position wherein the sleeve blocks all radiation of light from the bulb, except for that which is radiated directly upwardly through the open end of the sleeve, and a lower position wherein the sleeve is disposed substantially entirely within the base. A lift bar is connected to the sleeve and extends through a suitable opening formed in the base to permit movement of the sleeve to any position between the respective upper and lower positions. A ring member is fixed to the sleeve and is formed with radially projecting tab elements about the outer periphery thereof. Selected ones of the tab elements are downwardly inclined and are effective to engage an inner surface of the base to determine the lower position of the sleeve. Thus, both the amount and direction of the light radiated by the light bulb can be coordinately controlled by varying the vertical position of the sleeve. Furthermore, the upper and lower positions of the sleeve are determined by a stop mechanism which is entirely contained within the base of the lamp and thus is completely hidden from view. The entire arrangement is completely mechanical in nature and is both reliable and effective in operation. It is yet another object of the present invention to incorporate the foregoing features in a novel electric lamp of the general kind described.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claim and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what is now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by atent 2 those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an electric lamp constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary View, in section, through the base of the lamp illustrated in FIG. 1 and shows the masking sleeve in its lower position;

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2. but shows the masking sleeve in its uppermost position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken substantially along the line indicated by the arrows 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of stop structure especially adapted for use with a lamp having a base of a square or rectangular configuration; and

FIG. 6 is a plan viewof stop structure which is especially adapted for use with an electric lamp having a base of a polygonal configuration.

In FIG. 1 an electric lamp constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 11. The lamp 11 is in effect a miniature replica of an old style kerosene lamp and is especially intended for use as a night light or decorative lamp rather than for general illumination purposes. The lamp 11 includes a base 12 comprising a lower cupshaped or chalice-shaped portion 13 and an upper hood or cover portion 14. A transparent or translucent chimney 16 of glass or other suitable material is retained in an upright position on the base 12. by a number of spring clips 17 disposed about the periphery of the circular opening in the upper portion 14 of the base. If desired a suitable shade may be mounted on the upper end portion of the chimney 16.

As best illustrated in the sectional showing in FIG. 2, a socket 18 is mounted within the base 12 by a vertically extending hollow shaft 19. A sleeve 21 of insulating ma terial is concentrically disposed about the socket 18.

A light bulb 22 is mounted within the socket 18 and includes a portion which projects upwardly through a circular opening in the upper cover 14 of the base. Thus, it will be apparent from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2 that the upwardly projecting portion of the light bulb 22 is adapted to radiate light in all directions through the chimney 16. As illustrated in FIG. 1 an on-otf switch 23 of conventional construction ismounted within the base 12 and a light cord is provided for connecting the lamp 11 to an electrical outlet.

In accordance with the present invention masking means are incorporated in the lamp 11 for varying both the? amount and direction of illumination radiated by the bulb 22. The masking means include an open-ended cylindrical sleeve 26 of suitable opaque material which is mounted concentric to the socket 18. The sleeve 26 is movable in a vertical direction between an upper position illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the sleeve blocks all radiation of light from the bulb 22, except for that radiated directly upwardly through the open end of the sleeve 26, and a lower position wherein the sleeve '26 is substantially entirely disposed within the base 12. The sleeve 26 is slidable on the insulating sleeve 21 which thus aflords guide means for directing the movement of the sleeve 26.

The upper cover .14 of the base is formed with a relatively small opening 27 and a lift bar 28 extends therethrough and is connected to a lower end to the sleeve 26 for enabling the vertical position of the sleeve 26 to be regulated from the exterior of the lamp 11.

Also in accordance with the present invention stop means are disposed entirely interiorly of the base 12 for determining the upper and lower positions of the masking sleeve 26. The stop means include a ring member 31,

Patented June 26, 1962 best illustrated in FIG.'4, formed with radially projecting tab elements about the outer periphery thereof. Selected ones of the tab elements, preferably alternate tab elemerits, are bent upwardly as indicated by the reference nirmeral 32 and are effective to engage the inner surface of the cover 14 of the base to determine the upper limit of travel of the masking sleeve 26. This condition is illustrated in FIG. 3. Other selected ones of the tab elements are bent downwardly as indicated by the reference numeral 33 and are eifective to engage the inner surface of the cup or'chalice portion of the base member, as illustrated in FIG. 2 to determine the lower limit of travel of the masking sleeve -26.

The ring 31 and lift bar 28 may preferably be soldered to the sleeve 26 to form a unitary assembly therewith. It should be noted that any intermediate position of the masking sleeve 26 between the upper and lower positions illustrated may be obained inasmuch as the masking sleeve 26 engages the insulating sleeve 2-1 with sufficient frictional force to retain the masking sleeve 26 at any adjusted position.

With the chalice-shaped base as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 a suitable ring construction incorporating six radially projecting tabelements may be preferably utilized. However, with lamp bases of different configurations it may be desirable to use other suitable ring constructions. Two alternate constructions are'ill-us-trated in FIGS. and 6 wherein parts corresponding to like parts in FIG. 4 are indicated by like reference numerals but with the addition of the respective suffixes A and B. Thus, in FIG.

5 stop ring 31A may preferably comprise only four radially projecting tab elements when the present invention is to be incorporated in a lamp having a base of a square or rectangular configuration. The stop ring construction illustrated in FIG. 5 can conveniently be produced merely by clipping a pair of tab elements from a stop ring as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6 there is illustrated a stop ring construction 3113 which is especially adapted for use in a lamp base having a polygonal configuration, and in this case the stop ring 3113' can conveniently be made by connecting two stop rings like the stop ring illustrated in FIG. 4. In each instance, however, selected ones of the tabs elements as indicated by the respective reference characters 32 A and 32B are inclined upwardly while other tab elements 33A and 33B are inclined downwardly to function in the same manner as the respective tab elements 32 and 33 described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. l-4.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention there is provided an entirely mechanical arrangement for varying the illumination level of a small night light'or decorative lamp. No variation in the electrical circuit of the lamp is required, and the masking mechanism of the present invention is'both reliable and effective in operation. Furthermore, the electric lamp ofthe present invention is of quite simple construction and enables economy in manufacture to be achieved, yet the masking arrangement incorporated therein is both reliable and effective in operation.

Hence, While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be under-' stood that these are capable of variation and modification. i

I claim: An electric lamp of the kind adapted to be regulate to vary the amount and direction of illumination radiated therein, said base including an upper housing portion having an electric lamp socket mounted therein, a lamp bulb mounted within the said lamp socket and including a portion projecting upwardly above the upper housing por.-.

tion of said l-ampbase, masking means slidably mounted within the said upper housing portion of said base radially outwardly of said lamp bulb and for movement axially of said lamp bulb for varying the amount and direction of illumination radiated by said lamp bulb, guide means in the said upper housing portion of said base mounting said masking means for vertical movement alongside said lamp bulb, manually operable operating means connected to the said masking means for moving the said masking means in a progressive manner between a lower position wherein the said masking means is disposed substantially beneath the said upwardly projecting portion of said lamp bulb and an upper position wherein the said masking means encircles thesaid upwardly projecting portion of said lamp bulb and blocks all horizontal radiation of light from the said lamp bulb, stop means in the said upper housing portion of said base and engageable with the inner surface thereof for determining the said lower and upper positions of said masking means, said upper housing portion of the said base including a side wall having an opening therein, the said manually operable operating means comprising a handle member operatively connected to said'masking means and to the said stop means and projecting outwardly of the said upper housing portion of the said base through the said opening in the said side wall thereof and enabling the said masking means to be moved longitudinally of the said guide means and axially relative to the said lamp bulb and enabling the said stop means to be moved with the said upper housing portion of the said base for determining the said upper and lower positions of the said masking means, the said stop means including a ring member fixed to the said masking means and having radially projecting tab elements formed thereon about the outer periphery thereof, selected ones of said tab elements being upwardly inclined and being effective to engage the inner surface of the said upper housing portion of said base in the said upper position of said masking means, and certain others of said tab elements being downwardly inclined and beingefiective to engage the inner surface of the said upper housing portion of said base in the lower position of said masking means and stop means.

McHenry Mar. 20, 1900 1,991,753 Kurlander Feb. 19, 1935 2,338,078 Wood Dec. 28, 1943 2,361,480 JofIo Oct. 31, 1944 2,532,800 Adinamis et al Dec. 5, 1950 2,707,780 Heller et al May 3, 1955 2,777,121

,Schion Jan. 8, 1957

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